This trip started out a bit delayed because I didn't realize how far away Tel el Armana was from Luxor. This is probably the site closest to Cairo, but still a nice distance from there as well. When Akhenaton, known as the heretic Pharaoh fully came into power he decided that he wanted to enact a few changes. One of the changes that was somewhat major was changing from the worship of the gods and the pantheon at Karnak (Thebes) and instead worshiped the god Atun. Atun is cited often as a refination of the god Amen-Ra, or the leading up god to, interim, leading to the god worshiped today as the one God, Jehovah or Yahweh. Whatever may be, it was a singular god concept and it predated the later adapted Hebrew mythology.
Another change instituted by Akhenaton was the complete transport of the capital city from Thebes to a new city, created from nothing, hundreds of miles away in a remote location, now known as Tel el Armana. Later, after the priesthood at Thebes had the opportunity to regain their positions of authority, they returned the favor by having Akhenaton and his city removed from the face of the planet, for all practical purposes. However, the remains stand and tell the story of Akhenaton and Nefertiti. This is relevant because much is made of his legacy and the fact that he is said to be the father of Tutankhamen (Tutankhaten) who much is made of due to the discovery of his mummy and all.
So, we, mainly I, decided it might be worth a trip, at least to breath in the air and get a feel for the atmosphere of the place. I had the feeling that it might be the stuff that dreams are made of. So we woke up at six in the morning and headed out of town with our driver, Hussain Obama. Hussain, if you have been following, is the driver who took us to Aswan, after I slammed his son's hand in the car door. He is the driver who invited us to dinner and proposed making me a financing partner in his tour operating business, while I tried to explain that I could help him, yes, but finance him, no.
So, I ran price comparisons, asked a few drivers about the cost and distance and they all agreed it was very far and would be expensive. The trip was probably worth it. I paid 1000 Egyptian which is about 180 USD. I suspect I could have gotten a slightly better deal, but I wanted to also go to the monastery Deir el Muharraq as well, this being where Jesus is purported to have spent six months after the issues he had with Herod, or more to the point Herod had with him being a possible son of God, redeemer of Israel, etcetera, etcetera. So Hussain agreed to add that trip in, and plus, since we were traveling as seven, having him drive was the best option. If it was just me and the missus, I would have dealt with the train and such, but with kids, that is a whole 'nuther story.
So we hop in the car with this huge bag of fruit, that no one really wants to eat except me and the kids here and there. I think everyone was afraid of having to go on the road. Me, I figured fruit would be a better slow release than water, but I didn't relay that to them. So needless to say, we didn't get water until much later and they were mad. However, by eating mad fruit, I was quite hydrated and didn't get thirsty or have to use it but twice on the journey. However, the bathrooms, the bathrooms. There aren't many on the road, especially suitable for women and children and the stops we did make encouraged me to wait for better options that never came.
So anyway, we drove on for close to three hours, encouraged to be British once again. We still got police escort after police escort. Each state provided a new escort through their municipality although I didn't feel particularly threatened. In fact, the further in country we got the more friendly smiles and waves we got, although mostly from the kids. Adults were friendly and a few waved but most were more curious, I think it is safe to say we were a bit off the beaten path. I must say a few of the cities, Asyut and Sohag seemed quite nice, perhaps worth spending some time, assuming the bathroom issue was dealt with by upfront research. However, the closer to Minya you get the more wound up into the history of modern Egypt you get, this is the center of the uprisings from the nineties, and the police presence probably speaks best about this.
We drove and drove and finally got to the area across the nile from Tel el Armana at about twelve or one. We had to wait for the ferry which transported the van and that took about fifteen minutes. We arrived at the complex and purchased tickets, you should have exact change, and entered. A policeman and a state sanctioned guide with keys accompanied us. They were both pretty cool, but both interested in rushing us along as well. They knew of our plans to make it to the monastery, and we did just make it before dusk. So this might be a trip to plan for a whole day.
The site itself is massive and stretches for miles. The temple proper is said to have been enormous at the time of its creation. The remains still tell a remarkable story and are accessible, however only with coaxing. They are fenced. The tombs are accessible for the most part as well and they stretch for miles, some in really remote locations. There is a north and a south range. I viewed a few in the North area, and declined viewing those in the south for two reasons. First, I am not into viewing tombs as I view that as a desecration and second, all the items from the tomb are usually in a museum. Finally, the trek, with the kids might have proved a bit too much. Going to the tombs we visited was more than enough, I wanted to get a certain understanding, and I asked the spirits of those who were once interned for their blessing and understanding.
I much preferred the temple and palace sites, and would have liked more time to sit and contemplate. I spent some time wondering what life would have been like, and the enormous task Akhenaton and the people of the time faced. Moving a capital is simply unimaginable, when you consider the scope. Could you imagine moving Washington DC to Kansas or Central Illinois? Keep in mind this was both a political and religious capital. I imagine the resulting work was much like the atmosphere I experienced at Deir El Muharraq later on, tranquil, peaceful and serene. However, most of that has been erased by the returning priesthood who were returning the favor of Akhenaton after his death.
After imaging life at the court, viewing the remains of the courtyard and garden, we moved on to the temple and walked about and spent some time talking to the officer accompanying us. The drive between sites was about ten to fifteen minutes each time we wanted to see another area. The city must have been something in its prime. All left now is dust and a few remaining rises from the desert sand. Much of the best has been shipped worldwide to museums and private collections.
Following this trip we left back via the ferry to head on to the Deir el Muharraq, which was about an hour or so drive away. Our driver had to ask for directions a couple times there and back as well, since this is a bit off the beaten path.
This was a very interesting location since it has the history attached to the baby Jesus story. So as we arrived we found a gated monastery complex which was quite impressive. Actually the monastery is gated twice, the first entrance is into a general courtyard which had restaurants and restrooms. The restrooms were deplorable, I figured monks might tend to take better care of them, but apparently not. I do believe they had just had a festival and were unwinding, so perhaps that was the cause.
Anyway, we headed in to the second courtyard and it was very beautiful. Inside were two ancient churches, and we waited for a guide, a monk who asked if I was Christian and what I wanted to see and more, why. I explained and he smiled and was very happy. He showed me into a church building way into the back and explained the history of the church and the site. My time was very limited, but I did manage to speak with him for a minute and visit the church on the site and offer prayers and thanks.
Our drivers left us for a minute, but when we returned, they were already back in the courtyard waiting. The monastery was very interesting and deserved more time, but night was coming on fast. We watch the sun go down within an hour. The police escort left us, but at each checkpoint we were expected and sent expeditiously on. We passed through the same towns at night and they took on a whole new perspective. I think most Egyptians prefer the night. I guess with the weather being so hot in the summer, you can surely understand.
We made it back home probably at near midnight. Everyone was tired. Halfway though the trip back I realized the driver was smoking instead of chatting incessantly, so I asked nicely if he could stop. He obliged. I could tell from Candice reaction, he had been smoking for a bit longer than I realized, I was listening to music, drifting off. So besides a bit of smoking and dirty bathrooms, I would say it was a worthwhile journey. If I ever made this trip again I would probably do it from Cairo, pack lunch and drinks more wisely and definitely discuss restroom options early in the planning. In addition, it might even be wise to book a local room, however that might present a whole new set of problems.
- I will upload additional photos as time permits.
